Gtalk Video Calling For Android Phones Tipped For Google I/O

The front-facing camera on Android handsets like the Nexus S and Desire S haven't seen much official use yet; third-party video calling apps like Fring can use them, but video functionality in Google's own Gtalk has so far been limited to Android 3.0 Honeycomb on tablets. That may well change at Google I/O next month, however, with claims that a test build of Android 2.3.4 with video-capable Gtalk has been doing the rounds.

Twitter user MAFiA303, who has claimed to have done work with Samsung, says he's tested the two-way video chat functionality on a Nexus S, the Samsung-made Google phone. He reckons it was "impressive quality" and predicts it will arrive at the Google developers' event next month.

Considering the increasing number of suitably camera-equipped handsets reaching the market these days, it seems sensible for Google to extend Gtalk video support to smartphones. That would also better challenge Apple's FaceTime app, which already offers simple video calling between the iPhone and iPad.

[via Android Community]